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Ar Rediscovering Africa’s Forgotten Foods
The crops often dismissed as 'forgotten' are anything but irrelevant. These plants are deeply intertwined with Africa's history and culture, and they carry remarkable nutritional value. The problem, however, is that their neglect has limited their potential to contribute to Africa's nutritional and economic well-being.
Africa’s story has always been tied to the land. A land blessed with an endless bounty of fertile soil, where roots run deep, and life springs forth like a song long forgotten. For centuries, this land fed its people with crops that were not just for sustenance but part of the rhythm of life. These foods, born of Africa’s soil, held a wisdom of survival, a resilience that mirrored the continent’s spirit. But over time, these foods, once central to African identity, faded from the table, replaced by crops imported from distant shores.
Download the Food and Agriculture Organization's Compendium of 100 forgotten foods in Africa.
As these native plants were abandoned, so too were the ecosystems that thrived on their presence. Africa, a continent where nearly 60 percent of people still rely on farming for survival, has been left more vulnerable, with monoculture agriculture depleting its land and its people. Today, malnutrition haunts the continent like a ghost, with Africa carrying the world’s heaviest burden of hunger. It’s time for Africa to turn back to the foods it once knew, to the crops that still hold the potential to nourish both body and soul.
Fonio
A Hidden Wealth of Nutrition
These so-called forgotten crops – dismissed, discarded, deemed irrelevant – are still very much alive, waiting in the shadows. They carry in them a wealth of nutrition that rivals and beats anything found in a modern supermarket. They are nutrient-rich, resilient, and built for Africa’s climates, a testament to the land that nurtured them.
Take African nightshade, for instance. It grows in the soil, strong and determined, like a plant that knows its place in the world. Its leaves, full of calcium and vitamin A, are boiled or fried. Its deep roots hold the soil in place, stabilizing the earth, while its berries find their way into jams. This plant is a part of the ecosystem, doing the work of preserving the land that feeds it.
Or consider African okra, whose seeds can be eaten fresh or turned into coffee substitutes, whose pods can be roasted or boiled. Rich in folate, okra provides what the body needs for cell growth and health. These are foods that give far more than they take. They grow with the land, not against it. They adapt to the climate and give strength to the soil. These plants remind us of what true nourishment looks like.
And then there is amaranth, a vegetable still cherished in parts of Kenya but neglected elsewhere on the continent. Packed with iron, zinc, and protein, amaranth does what many imported foods cannot—it fights inflammation, lowers cholesterol, and nourishes the body from the inside out. In a world where heart disease and other chronic conditions are on the rise, amaranth offers a quiet rebellion, a reminder that food can heal.
Bambara Groundnuts
Crops Built for Climate Resilience
In a time of rising temperatures and changing weather patterns, Africa’s forgotten foods are a lifeline. These crops, shaped by centuries of evolution, are designed to withstand the very climate that now threatens so much of the continent’s agriculture. Unlike the monoculture crops that dominate the landscape, forgotten crops are not fragile; they are survivors.
Take fonio, an ancient grain grown in West Africa for thousands of years. Fonio is drought-resistant, hardy, and packed with essential nutrients that include protein, fiber, iron, and zinc. In a world where climate unpredictability can wipe out entire crops, fonio stands tall, its roots anchored deep in the history of the land.
Fonio is not alone. Crops like African spiderflower and African winged beans have similar stories to tell. They thrive in harsh conditions, feed the soil with nitrogen, and provide not just food but resilience. These crops are a blueprint for climate smart agriculture.
An Economic Revival Waiting to Happen
The forgotten foods are not just about feeding the body or saving the land. They are about reviving Africa’s economies, about bringing back an industry that has been left to wither in the sun. With Africa’s population set to double by 2050, the demand for food is growing. And as demand grows, so do opportunities.
Imagine Bambara groundnuts, a crop that can be turned into flour, snacks, even dairy substitutes. Or the African Star apple, whose rich, fiber-filled flesh can be pressed into juice while its byproducts feed livestock. These crops are more than a meal; they are the seeds of industries that could create jobs, reduce Africa’s reliance on imported foods, and give farmers a reason to stay on their land.
These forgotten foods are part of Africa’s story. They are tied to traditions and identities that have been eroded by globalization and industrial agriculture. To bring these foods back to the dinner table is to reconnect with a history that runs deeper than any imported crop. It is to remember who we are, where we come from, and how we can shape the future.
Amaranthus
Building a Sustainable Food System
For too long, Africa has relied on monoculture farming, planting the same crops year after year, depleting the soil and the land. This system has left Africa vulnerable: to climate change, to hunger, to economic exploitation. But the forgotten foods offer a way out. These crops restore balance to the soil, bring biodiversity back to the land, and create a diet that is rich, varied, and life-sustaining.
By reintroducing crops like African yam beans, fonio, and Bambara groundnuts into the food system, Africa can reclaim its food sovereignty. These crops are not dependent on international supply chains. They don’t require the same expensive inputs that industrial crops demand. Instead, they grow with the land, giving more than they take, offering a sustainable path forward.
The Future of Africa’s Food
Africa’s forgotten foods are more than just relics of the past. They are the key to a healthier, more resilient future. They can nourish, heal, and revive economies that have been left behind. In a world where malnutrition is rampant, where climate change threatens to wipe out entire communities, these foods offer hope.
It’s time to remember them, to bring them back to the center of the table, where they belong. It’s time to build a future where Africa’s land is not just a resource to be exploited, but a source of life, of culture, of pride. And that future begins with the foods we choose to grow, to eat, and to share.
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